


The Strength of Belief

by WorryinglyInnocent



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Gen, Rumpelstiltskin & Emma friendship, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-03
Updated: 2014-12-03
Packaged: 2018-02-27 22:58:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2709767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorryinglyInnocent/pseuds/WorryinglyInnocent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An alternate ending to episode 1x21 ‘An Apple Red As Blood’. Emma turns to Gold for help to save Henry, and Regina tries to make another deal using the final ace up her sleeve… Sort of an inverse to 'The Truth of Love'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Strength of Belief

The pawnshop doorbell is practically flung off its bracket in a veritable conniption fit as the door flies open and Emma runs in. Rumpelstiltskin knows it is Emma without looking up; only the sheriff and the mayor have the audacity to burst into his domain so unceremoniously, and Ms Mills never runs anywhere if she can help it.

“Sheriff Swan,” he begins calmly. “How may I be of assistance?”

“You’ve got to help me!” Emma’s voice is bordering on the edge of hysterical, and Rumpelstiltskin glances up in alarm. She looks as bad as she sounds, tears streaming down her face, hands clutched into fists. “She’s poisoned him!”

“Sorry, Sheriff, who has poisoned whom?” As if he couldn’t guess. Well, he did warn of the price of magic.

“Regina’s poisoned Henry, who do you fucking think?” Emma screams.

Rumpelstiltskin puts down his pen and leans on the counter heavily with both hands. “If that’s the case, wouldn’t you be better off going to a doctor instead of coming to me?”

“He’s in the hospital,” Emma explodes. “I left when Regina got there in case I shot her in the middle of the ER! And I came to you because I get the feeling you’re the only person in this entire godforsaken town who knows what’s going on and who can help me. And if all this is real, if the curse is real and if everyone really is a fairy tale character, and Mary Margaret really is my mother, then I don’t even know who you are, but I know that you’re the only one who can win against Regina, and I know that you can recognise a desperate soul and Gold, I am desperate.”

This could not be more obvious. Rumpelstiltskin comes round the counter and extends an arm towards the sheriff. “Come on. Come through.”

“You don’t believe me.” Emma’s voice is rising in panic again. “You think I’m crazy like I thought Henry was.”

“Emma, every word you are saying is completely true. The curse is real, everyone really is a fairy tale character, and Mary Margaret really is your mother. I am simply concerned that you look as if you are about to vomit.”

Rumpelstiltskin’s instincts are proved correct as he manages to steer her into the back room and she makes it to the sink just in time, fear and panic and guilt all churning up inside until her stomach can take no more.

“For the record,” he adds, “you can call me Rumpelstiltskin.”

X

Rumpelstiltskin is not used to sick, crying women, but sick, crying children he can manage, so he finds himself slipping back in the guise of a parent – one he has not worn in so very long – as gets Emma a glass of water and finds her a clean rag to wipe her mouth on.

“Huh. Gold. Straw into gold. Might have known.” Emma sits down heavily on the nearest chair and rests her forehead on her arms, crossed limply over her knees. She shakes her head minutely. “Archie promised me that Regina would never hurt him! Just this morning!”

“I don’t think she’d do anything intentionally,” Rumpelstiltskin says. “But all magic comes at a price, and this is the one that Regina must pay. Losing Henry.”

Emma looks up at him, her eyes wide.

“He’s going to die?”

Rumpelstiltskin shakes his head. “I never said that. Loss and death are not the same thing.” He thinks of Bae, so close and yet so far. “Believe me, I know it more than most.”

Emma buries her head in her hands.

“It’s all my fault,” she says. “That turnover was meant for me, I should have eaten it, damn it all, I should have believed him, I should have…”

“There’s no time for regrets, Miss Swan. Dry your eyes and save your son.” He offers her his pocket square and Emma takes it to blow her nose on.

“Why are you doing this?” she murmurs. “Being… nice.”

“I believe you came to me for assistance, dearie. I can hardly help you when you’re a soggy, snotty wreck.”

“Yes, but…” Emma begins, but she’s cut off by another jangle of the shop bell.

“Rumpel!” It’s Regina, actually running for once. Emma starts up out of her chair, spoiling for a fight, but Rumpelstiltskin grabs her shoulder and pulls her back.

“The last thing Henry needs is you two killing each other on my floor,” he hisses. He squeezes her shoulder and goes through to the shop.

Regina is a mess. Rumpelstiltskin’s never seen her so broken.

“I did warn you, all magic comes at a price,” he says.

“But not Henry,” Regina pleads. “He shouldn’t have to pay it. Please Rumpelstiltskin, undo this.”

“Undo it?” Rumpelstiltskin gives a harsh bark of laughter. “I don’t recall doing anything in the first place, dearie. You brought this one entirely on yourself. Besides.” He leans in closer over the counter. “If you recall correctly, a deal requires two interested parties. Good day, Your Majesty.”

There’s a long silence, and Regina looks off over his left shoulder, evidently in a mental quandary.

“Good day, Your Majesty,” Rumpelstiltskin repeats.

Then Regina whispers one word that turns his entire world on its axis.

“Belle.”

Rumpelstiltskin’s eyes narrow.

“What did you say?” he growls.

“Belle,” Regina repeats. “I have Belle, and I’ll give her to you if you help me save Henry.”

The next thing Rumpelstiltskin knows, both his hands are around Regina’s neck and her nails are scratching at his wrists in an attempt to free herself.

“You’re lying,” he spits.

“Am I?” Regina chokes out, an echo of her earlier words way back before all this happened. Now, though, there is only blind fear in her eyes. “I picked her up… On her way home… Kept her in the tower… Told you she’d died…”

Rumpelstiltskin’s fingers squeeze a little tighter.

“Where is she?” he asks.

“Henry…” Regina chokes.

“All in good time, dearie. Where is Belle now?”

“Mental ward. Under the hospital.”

Regina’s beginning to go slightly blue, but Rumpelstiltskin doesn’t let up. “Give me the code.”

Regina gasps out the access code and Rumpelstiltskin releases her. She staggers backwards, panting.

“Get out,” he snarls.

“But…”

“GET OUT!”

“But Henry…”

“Oh, he’ll be fine, Your Majesty, you have my word of that. You, on the other hand, would do best to get out and run for the hills, because next time, I won’t be letting go, dearie.”

Regina turns tail and runs out of the shop.

“So I’m not allowed to try and kill her, but you are?”

Emma peers around the doorway from the back room and Rumpelstiltskin sighs.

“Henry is going to be fine,” he says, ignoring her last statement. “It’s just a sleeping curse, the same apple that Snow White took. He’ll be fine.”

“I know.” Emma’s pale face is impassive. “I’ve read enough of Henry’s book to know that Rumpelstiltskin never goes back on his word.”

Rumpelstiltskin inclines his head briefly and gestures towards the door. “If you feel better, shall we?”

Emma nods, but makes no move.

“I also know that you don’t do anything for nothing.”

Rumpelstiltskin looks at her, astute young woman as she is. He could ask her for another favour. He could ask her not to stand in his way when he goes to rip Regina limb from limb. But he doesn’t, because deep down that’s not what he wants from her. He wants her to do something that only she can do.

“Just break the curse, Emma. That’s all I ask.”

X

Henry looks very small and chalk-white next to the pristine blankets, surrounded by tubes and wires and monitors. It’s easy to believe, in this environment, that he really is dying and is not simply asleep.

They stand one either side of Henry’s bed.

“Well go on,” Emma says nervously. “Work your magic.”

“This is a land without magic,” Rumpelstiltskin reminds her. It’s the wrong thing to say because he finds himself reeling from a slap round the face and he has to grab her wrist to stop her backhanding the other cheek.

“You bastard,” Emma spits. “You lied. You said you could save him.”

“I said nothing of the sort. I said that he would be fine, and so he will be.” He’s forced to drop his cane and lean on the bed for support as Emma’s other hand comes up and he has to block her again. “There’s no magic here, no casting magic, but there’s one form of magic, uncontrollable and unchannelled, that transcends all boundaries and exists in all realms, even this one, because it is magic in its purest and most primal form. True Love.”

Emma’s hands go limp and he releases his grip, bending awkwardly to retrieve his cane. As he stands, he turns his back on mother and child, allowed them some privacy in their moment.

“I love you, Henry.”

And in the moment, the moment of True Love’s Kiss, Rumpelstiltskin feels the curse begin to break, not just the sleeping curse that Henry is under but the entire Dark Curse itself. Emma’s done it. She’s kept her part of the bargain, and as he hears Henry gasp back into life, he knows that his end has been upheld as well.

“I love you too, Emma.”

Rumpelstiltskin turns to see Emma and Henry hugging each other so tightly they’re almost one person. Emma sees him over Henry’s shoulder, and releases her grip on her son slightly. Henry turns.

“Did Mr Gold help you break the curse?” he asks.

Rumpelstiltskin laughs. “No, your mother did that all by herself.”

“That’s it?” Emma asks. “That’s all it took? Why didn’t you tell me that back at the shop?”

“Because you had to truly believe it,” Rumpelstiltskin says simply. “Besides, I needed to make a trip to the hospital anyway.” He moves away, cutting a swathe through the staff who now see him for who he really is. “I have an appointment at the mental ward…”


End file.
